WASH in Schools

in Angola

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of

600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola
Cover Pictures:
© UNICEF/ANGA2015-0164/Célia Gonçalves
© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1245/Pirozzi
© UNICEF/ANGA2014-0401/Bruno Caratão
© UNICEF/ANGA2014-0276/Bruno Caratão

UNICEF Angola
March 2016 (First edition in Portuguese published in April 2015)

WASH Section and Education Section

Rua Major Kanhangulo 197
Luanda | Angola
Tel: +244 222 331 181 | +244 222 335 609
Email: luanda@unicef.org
facebook.com/UnicefAngola | www.unicef.org

© United Nations Children’s Fund, 2016

Table of Contents

List of abbreviations ii

List of figures ii

List of charts iii

Executive Summary 1

1. Introduction 3
1.1. Brief summary of the education sector national context 3
1.2. Child Friendly Concept as a diagnosis basis 4

2. Applying an obstacles analysis to water, sanitation and hygiene in Angolan schools 7

2.1. Objective of the diagnosis 7

3. Methodology 9

4. Analysis of results 11
4.1. General data by province 11
4.2. Type of construction 14
4.2.1. Roof at school 14
4.3. Water supply 15
4.4. Environmental sanitation 23
4.5. Hygiene practices 25
4.6. Budget 28
4.7. School´s commitment 28

5. Discussion of results 31
5.1. Analysis of bottleneck areas 33
5.2. Enabling environment 34
5.3. Demand 35
5.4. Quality 36

6. Conclusion 39

7. Recommendations 41

References 42

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |I

 List of abbreviations

DNEG Direção Nacional do Ensino Geral – National Directorate of General Education

EAC Escolas Amigas da Criança – Child Friendly Schools
EMIS Education Management Information System
GEPE Gabinete de Estudo, Planeamento e Estatística – Planning, Studies and Statistics Office
INE Instituto Nacional de Estatística – National Statistics Institute
LBSE Lei de Bases do Sistema de Ensino – Basic Laws of Education System
MED Ministério da Educação – Ministry of Education
NGO Non-governmental Organisation
PAN / EPT Plano de Acção Nacional de Educação Para Todos - National Action Plan of Education for All
PEE Projecto de Educação Escolar – School Education Project
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Education Fund
WHO World Health Organisation

List of figures

Figure 1. Kilamba kiaxi School, Luanda 7

Figure 2. Outdoor classrooms, Bié 13
Figure 3. Classrooms in a school, Namibe 13
Figure 4. Water system with electro pump, Namibe 19
Figure 5. Water system with hand pump, Huíla 19
Figure 6. Source of drinking water, Namibe 22
Figure 7. Water fountain for the school and the community, Cunene 22
Figure 8. Clean toilets, Huambo 25
Figure 9. Closed toilets, Quilamba Kiaxi, Luanda 25

II| WASH in Schools - Angola

List of charts

Chart 1. Number of children covered by provinces 11

Chart 2. Number of teachers covered by provinces 11
Chart 3. Number of classrooms covered 12
Chart 4. Number of students per classroom 12
Chart 5. Existence of parents committees and hygiene clubs in schools 13
Chart 6. Does the school have a roof? 14
Chart 7. Type of construction 14
Chart 8. Does the school have water? 15
Chart 9. Is the school connected to the water supply network? 16
Chart 10. Does the connection to the grid actually work? 17
Chart 11. Does the school have a borehole with a hand pump? 17
Chart 12. Does the hand pump work? 18
Chart 13. Is the school water supplied by an open well? 18
Chart 14. Is the school water supplied by a tanker truck? 19
Chart 15. Is the school water collected from a protected well? 20
Chart 16. Is the school water collected from a fountain? 20
Chart 17. Does the school have drinking water? 21
Chart 18. Is the drinking water treated? 21
Chart 19. How is the water treated? 22
Chart 20. Does the school have toilets? 23
Chart 21. Do the toilets work? 23
Chart 22. Does the school have toilets for disabled people? 24
Chart 23. Are there urinals in the toilets? 24
Chart 24. What kind of toilet facilities does the school have? 25
Chart 25. Are there defecation sites in the school? 26
Chart 26. Number of students and average access to WC 26
Chart 27. Number of teachers and average access to WC 27
Chart 28. Hygiene in schools 27
Chart 29. Enabling environment 34
Chart 30. Supply 34
Chart 31. Demand 35
Chart 32. Quality 36

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |III
© UNICEF/ANGA2015-0164/Célia Gonçalves
Executive Summary

Water, sanitation and hygiene are essential for the health, development and well-being of every school
age child. Due to the need to be aware of the reality that affects thousands of schoolchildren, the National
Directorate of General Education, with the support of the Provincial Education Directorates of Cunene, Huíla,
Bié, Luanda, Namibe, Huambo, and UNICEF have carried out a brief survey of six hundred (600) schools in
order to assess their sanitary conditions. This review aims to pave the way for a debate on access to water,
sanitation and hygiene, as well as promote proper planning and budgeting for primary schools.

The idea of access to water, sanitation and hygiene, adequate planning and budget is multidimensional,
inclusive and not limited to the construction of facilities. Each programme component that requires a Child
Friendly School should include the promotion of education on health and hygiene, operation and maintenance
of health facilities, supported by a regional and national advocacy system.

This case study seeks to analyse possible obstacles or bottlenecks to the water, sanitation and hygiene
programmes in schools in Angola through the implementation of the Tanahashi comprehensive Model (1978),
and by taking into account the following priority areas: Enabling Environment, Supply, Demand and Quality.
The Tanahashi Model allows the analysis of these four key areas in order to enable the development of a
strategy to address and reduce barriers identified in the Angolan framework.

Diarrhoeal diseases account for 18% of the deaths of children under five, and they are very common in
school-age children (Ministry of Health 2010). The poor hygiene practices and the low percentage of hand
washing, as well as the consumption of contaminated water are the main causes of infant deaths, faecal
and oral diseases, malnutrition and inadequate growth in Angola (Ministry of Health, 2010).

The diagnosis shows that all the schools visited in the municipalities of each province somehow lacked
a hygienic and sanitary environment that was conducive to carrying out their duties. The average class
size is 68.3%. These figures clearly underscore the government’s efforts to try to build more classrooms,
but they do not invalidate the need to start building first in the places most in need through more refined
planning and financing. The average WC access by students is 58%, the use of latrines is 28.52%, and
the practice of open defecation is 44.70% (43.90% close to school and 45.49% in the bush). On average,
about 310 students share a cubicle, which becomes an inhibiting factor for access to the toilet or latrine.
About 70% of schools are not connected to the network and those that are connected are not supplied for
about 78% of the time. The supply through tankers is the third most used source and the most expensive;
about 20% of schools make use of this alternative source which creates huge imbalances in school budgets.
Primary schools that do not get direct allocation of funds will be unable to afford running expenses that are
approximately Akz 40,000 (400 USD) per month, depending on the distance involved.

Only 35% of schools have drinking water available and 62% have no source at all allocated to them. As far
as the treatment of the water is concerned, only 24% of schools said that they treated their drinking water;
76% did not treat the water at all and faced huge health problems with students according to the directors.
Different studies carried out by the WHO / UNICEF found that water and sanitation facilities in schools have
a powerful impact on reducing the above listed factors and they also help to increase school enrolment
for girls and support both retention and completion rates. In addition, interventions in water and sanitation
reinforce community ownership and participation in school management (WHO, UNICEF 2009).

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |1

© UNICEF/ANGA2015-0062/Vinicius Carvalho
1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR NATIONAL CONTEXT

The education sector in Angola has been deeply affected by the Civil War which has seen the destruction of
school infrastructures and the loss of financial and human resources. The way to achieve a universal, quality
primary education system is still a long journey because of the challenge of increasing the number of children
enrolled in primary school from 3,851,622 in 2008 (Net enrolment ratio – NER – of 66%) to 5,022,144 by
2015 (100% NER) (Ministry of Education, 2012).

This remarkable improvement in the number of enrolled students is mainly due to significant government
investment in school infrastructure and the recruitment and deployment of teachers. For example, in 2012,
the government built over 27,437 classrooms for primary education, compared to only 25,436 classrooms
in 2003. The government recruited more 55,000 primary school teachers during 2002-2012, a significant
improvement compared to the teacher recruitment level in 2002, which amounted to only 83,601 (ME,
2012). Similarly, the government has made substantial investments in teacher training in order to ensure
that newly hired teachers offer quality teaching.

Despite this commendable progress at primary education level, it is necessary to make more efforts at
secondary education level, as Angola still has a small proportion of children in secondary education. According
to data from the Ministry of Education, between 2001 and 2012 the total number of students has risen by
241% in primary education (1st to 6th grade), 524% in the 1st cycle of secondary education (7th to 9th)
and 262% in the 2nd cycle of secondary education (from 10th to 12th grade, or in some cases from 10th to
13th). This increase has improved the net attendance rates (NAR) of both primary and secondary education
level, as shown by the survey data1. According to surveys from IBEP (2008/09) and QUIBB (2011), the
primary school NAR (defined as the proportion of children aged 6 to 11 years old who attend from 1st to
6th grade) had risen to 76.3% in 2008/09, and to 79.0% in 2011. In this most recent period 2008/09, the
secondary school NAR rose sharply from 18.9% (for children aged 12 to 17 years) to 28.0% (for children
aged 12 to 18) in 2011.

In Angola the reasons why children do not enrol and remain in school are multidimensional, but are mainly
based on the lack of adequate school infrastructures and the quality of education that is affected because
there are teachers who are not properly trained and the teaching materials used are not appropriate. These
factors coupled with long distances to schools result in overcrowded classrooms, inadequate access to
clean water and sanitation, as well as the lack of capacity for effective teaching, which affects learning2
(Ministry of Education, 2012).

These factors are further exacerbated by the fact that often teachers (27% at the primary school level3) are
not qualified, so the quality of service is reduced and not focused enough on the children’s learning needs.
Improving access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities in Angolan schools is a crucial factor in the
provision of a safe and healthy environment that enables effective learning by children. It is known that
improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools provides a better understanding of current
education issues, challenges, and also an environment conducive to learning, closely linked to attendance
and retention (Bowen et al, 2007).
 

1
The NAR (net attendance rate) is the number of pupils of the official age group for a given level of the education system who
attend this level of education, expressed as a percentage of the population of the official age group.
2
UNICEF, Situation Analysis of Children in Angola, Draft 1, 25 February 2014
3
MED (2012)

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |3

 Since the beginning of the medium-term education programme (2009-2014), UNICEF and the Government
of Angola (GOA) have promoted the concept of Child Friendly Schools. A Child Friendly School is one that
abides by the following principles: 1) the educational work is based on the rights of the child, 2) it is a
secure and protected environment for the child, 3) it is healthy and hygienic, 4) it is gender sensitive, 5) it
provides quality teaching and learning and 6) there is participation of the community and families. In 2013,
the Ministry of Education (MED) agreed to focus first on three main issues4; 1) Access to education for all
children, 2) Quality of teaching and learning and 3) Health and hygiene.

According to different studies carried out by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), water and
sanitation facilities in schools have a strong, positive impact, not only in reducing diseases and mortality, but
also in the increase of enrolment for girls and the retention and completion rates. In addition, interventions
in water and sanitation reinforce community ownership and participation in school management. Besides
mobilizing support in the construction of new water and sanitation facilities, communities are encouraged to
take full responsibility for implementation and maintenance to ensure sustainable access and use of those
resources (WHO 2009).

1.2 CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOL CONCEPT AS A DIAGNOSIS BASIS

In order to carry out a situational analysis and guide the development of a model of Child Friendly Schools
for Angola (CFS), the Ministry of Education launched a survey which was conducted in 15 schools across
municipalities in five provinces – Bié, Cunene, Huíla, Luanda and Moxico – involving children, municipal and
provincial education managers, directors, teachers, staff, parents and the community.

The central question of the “Child Friendly Schools” survey was: what is the school of your dreams? The
intention was to get the idea of everyone involved of an ‘ideal school’ that meets their expectations and
needs considering the context in which they live. This was the basis for the suggestion of a CFS model for
Angola whose results were drawn solely from the needs of its population and reflections made on the basis
of context analysis and reports, emphasizing the opinions of the actors involved.

Children’s rights refer to the need to see children as the subjects of rights and to transform schools into
places where those rights are guaranteed. Safety and security means eliminating all kinds of violence against
children and creating a safe environment which protects all involved in the school context. Inclusion and
gender sensitivity are related to respecting diversity, promoting inclusion and ensuring meaningful learning
for all children indiscriminately. Academic efficiency means promoting good quality teaching and learning
for all children. And last but not least, community involvement refers to the need for schools to develop
strategies to encourage the involvement of families and the community.

Based on these concepts, the Education, Water and Sanitation Section of UNICEF along with the National
Delegation of General Education took the opportunity to make a diagnosis which would draw attention to
the fact that many schools lack very basic elements such as water, sanitation (toilets or latrines), and even
suitable places for hand washing, often causing disappointment and school drop-outs.

4
Stated by the MED as the main issues (2013)

4| WASH in Schools - Angola

© UNICEF/ANGA2014-0344/Federica Polselli
Chapter 1. Introduction

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |5

© UNICEF/MLWB2005-00082/Pirozzi
2. APPLYING AN OBSTACLES ANALYSIS TO WATER,
SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN ANGOLAN SCHOOLS

Based on studies showing a strong correlation between children’s health and their ability to actively participate
in the learning process as well as current studies, analyses and surveys with data on water, sanitation and
hygiene conditions in Angola (COSEP 2007 and MED 2005 study), a review and “Obstacle Analysis to
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Angolan Schools in 2012” was carried out. Faced with the challenge of
Child Friendly Schools in 2013, the DNEG decided to look into the critical situation of the water, sanitation
and hygiene components in schools.

Hence, health promotion refers not only to physical health, but also the
mental health of everyone involved in school (Blanton et al, 2010). The
variety of infectious diseases caused by poor hygiene, poor sanitation
and the consumption of unsafe water contribute to the lack of progress
made by children at school, frequent repetitions (1.3 million exceeded
the age of primary school) and a high dropout rate (17%) (Ministry of
Education, 2010).

The objective of this case study is to analyse potential barriers to the

water, sanitation and hygiene programmes of schools in Angola by
Figura 1 – Escola em Kilamba Kiaxi
implementing the Tanahashi 1978 comprehensive Model while taking
”Do Not Pee Here. Use the WC. the following priority areas into account: Enabling Environment, Supply,
Let’s Avoid Diseases”. Demand, and Quality. The Tanahashi Model analyses these four key
areas and so allows for the development of a strategy which addresses
and reduces the barriers identified in the Angolan framework.

2.1 PURPOSE OF THE DIAGNOSIS

Making a diagnosis always has its cost, both financially and in terms of time. For this reason, it should
be very well used and maximized. The sense of maximizing means to guide the search towards specific
objectives of the sector under study. Maximizing also means motivation, interest and responsibility from
any natural and/or legal person involved in the process and at all levels of the political division – the current
administration in the country – to ensure the quality of the desired result, and therefore give meaning to the
investment.

This diagnosis is aimed at analysing possible obstacles and seeks to recommend a water, sanitation and
hygiene programme to the DNEG for schools in Angola by physically checking 600 schools in six provinces
and in different municipalities (Luanda, Huíla, Huambo, Bié, Cunene and Namibe), while also taking into
account priority ‘problem areas’ such as access to water and to a toilet, as well as the ability to wash hands
with soap and water. These factors are conducive to an Enabling Environment, and are central to allow for
the definition of an action plan to address and reduce the barriers identified in the Angolan framework and
to enhance the school admission through improved access to sanitation in schools.

As both the National Directorate of General Education (DNEG) and UNICEF are working on the concept of
“Child Friendly Schools”, they have seen the reality that although many new classrooms are being built to
accommodate children through their schooling, no one is paying the necessary attention to some very basic
services that are fundamental to a child’s development in a healthy environment. Once we became aware
of this fact, we tried to bring the sanitary conditions of the schools to the forefront of discussions and the
negative effects these factors were having on the Angolan children. In this way, it is hoped that real work
and progress can be made in the areas of health and hygiene in schools and that this single survey can shed
light onto a national survey and so accommodate a policies and regulations in this area.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |7

© UNICEF/NYHQ2010-1530/Asselin
3. METHODOLOGY

In Angola there is still a lack of a systematic methodology for data collection on water and sanitation in
schools. This hinders the possibility of carrying out an analysis and thus comparing data from different areas
of the country. There is a gap when it comes to knowledge about the current water, sanitation and hygiene
conditions in schools which makes it impossible to get a realistic picture of the situation. It has become a
real challenge to implement a suitable water, sanitation and hygiene programme in Angola using a global
approach and the systematic collection of data is proving to be a major constraint.

The data that is available are documents and surveys, which do not really provide a true or complete picture
of the situation in the country and are not reliable as statistical analysis. What makes matters even worse is
that current data sets are using indicators that are not correlated among the key stakeholders. This makes
it even harder to develop an overall national framework.

In view of this, it therefore became necessary to develop a rapid methodology to allow us to get useful
information related to the aforementioned factors quickly and efficiently. The idea being that this same
information should trigger a brief reflection on the subject through a debate sponsored by the National
Directorate of General Education (DNEG). A simple survey was developed in which “YES and NO” answers
were used so that the answers from the survey would be comparable to the answers in the interview with
the school directors. Just six (6) provinces (Luanda, Huíla, Huambo, Bié, Cunene and Namibe) were selected
to receive quick answers to the survey. It was determined that the diagnosis should be carried out in 600
schools - 100 schools per province - with an average of 20 schools by municipality previously agreed
between DNEG and DPEs. We must point out that the choice of the provinces was random.

In order for this survey to take place, UNICEF and the DNEG formed six (6) teams to complete the forms
with practical and theoretical training held in the Municipality of Kilamba Kiaxi. 33 interviewers and six
supervisors from DNEG participated in this training to understand and handle the forms. Each province was
visited by a team of four (4) interviewers, a supervisor from DNEG and one from the Provincial Directorate of
Education for visiting schools and to ensure the quality of the surveys and the data provided. For fieldwork,
4 x 4 vehicles were rented to travel to cities throughout the survey period.

Each school produced a report which was introduced in Excel tables where the results were formulated.
Field reports from the teams in each province and the ambiguity in the answers in some fields were also
taken into account. The form has seven sections: 1) General Data, 2) Type of construction, 3) Water Supply,
4) Environmental Sanitation, 5) Hygiene Practices, 6) Budget, 7) The school’s commitment to water,
sanitation and hygiene issues in school. These areas were addressed individually throughout the survey.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |9

© UNICEF/NYHQ2007-0962/Asselin
4. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

To facilitate understanding, the analysis of the data was compiled in accordance with the survey and the
first part is focused on general aspects, followed by more specific issues of water, sanitation and hygiene
in schools.

4.1 GENERAL INFORMATION BY PROVINCE

The first data analysed were those relating to the numbers of students, teachers and classrooms. These data
allowed for the evaluation of the extent of access to water and sanitation, as well as a scale the agility and
continuity of students in the normal functioning of a school.

Chart 1. Number of children covered by province

1,000,000

100,000

10,000

1,000

100

10

1
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Girls 35,501 11,658 68,475 32,616 21,729 40,779
Boys 36,173 12,833 64,757 32,071 19,214 45,259
Disabilities 401 29 148 289 126 139
Total 72,075 24,520 133,380 64,976 41,069 86,177

The total number of students in the six provinces is 422,197, where 210,758 are female, 210,307 are male
and 1,132 are physically disabled. Luanda has a total of 72,075 students, Bié 24,520 students, Huambo
133,380 students, Namibe 64,976 students, Cunene 41,069 students and Huila 86,177 students. These
totals refer to the 600 schools visited.

Chart 2. Number of teachers covered by province

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Female 1,114 2,076 1,989 1,575 764 1,962
Male 885 1,159 807 1,471 335 680
Total 1,999 3,235 2,796 3,046 1,099 2,642

With regard to teachers, there is a huge difference between the number of male and female teachers, and
the number of female teachers is almost double the number of male teachers. There is a total of 9,480
female teachers, compared to 5,337 male teachers, totalling 14,817 spread across 600 schools.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |11
 Chart 3. Number of classrooms covered

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Classrooms 917 815 912 1,014 397 328
Open  air  c lassrooms 18 370 828 51 556 326

It was found that most schools had two shifts, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, with some
exceptions who operated a night shift. There is also a growing need for classrooms as some provinces have
a large number of open air classrooms, like Huambo, Bié, Cunene and Huíla. The number of classrooms is
4,383 and open air classrooms total 2,149, which at the moment is half the existing number of rooms. This
aspect of open air classrooms should also be looked into because there has been a very large increase in the
number of students at various levels and the number of classrooms has not increased at the same pace. We
must look at temporary solutions that can better accommodate these students.

Chart 4. Number of students per classroom

1,000,000

100,000

10,000

1,000

100

10

1
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Total  Number  students 72,075 24,520 133,380 64,976 41,069 86,177
Total  Number  of  c lassrooms 935 1,185 1,740 1,065 953 654
students  per  Classroom 77.09 20.69 76.66 61.01 43.09 131.77

Checking charts 3 and 4 and making the ratio of the number of classrooms and the number of students per
class, the average is 68.38 students per classroom. It is also evident that the number of outdoor classrooms
is still very large in provinces like Bié, Huambo, Cunene and Huila. This may be an inhibiting factor for
children to go to school because many are uncomfortably exposed to the sun or cold for most of the school
year and when the rainy season comes, many of the classes are cancelled. Intermittent education harms the
interest of students and often leads to drop-out or absenteeism (MED 2014).

12| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

Figure 2. Outdoor classroom, Bié Figure 3. Classrooms of a school in Namibe

Chart 5. Parents committees and hygiene clubs in schools

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Hygiene  Club  at  s chool 21 22 46 16 26 8
Parent's  Commis s ion  at  s chool 43 93 94 97 82 95

The parents committee and the hygiene club represent the involvement of students and the community in
the activities and decisions of school life. With the exception of Luanda with 43, all other provinces have
a significant number of parents committees. When asked which activities were carried out by the parents
committees and how often they meet a month, no school could give a concrete answer as to the activities
carried out with parents. The average was one to two meetings per year but there was no indication to their
importance or role in school life.

However as far as hygiene clubs are concerned, it is evident that this participatory form of action is promoted
in schools. The answers received from the various provinces show that there is no sufficiently strong
structure that addresses the need for participatory activities to promote welfare at school. Considering that
this is a voluntary activity, the hygiene club does not have a format linked to the school curriculum nor an
educational means to make it educational and attractive to children. It is vital that the launch of the School
Education Project (PEE) by the Ministry of Education which will begin operating this year (2014) to bridge
this gap, should be promoted.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |13
 4.2 TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
As far as the type of construction structures used in schools is concerned, the survey sought to find out
about the conditions of structures based on those already in use.

4.2.1 Roof in the school

Chart 6. Roof in the school

Without  
roof,  
13.69%

With  
roof,  
86.31%

According to data collected, it is true to say that in general, the schools of permanent construction that were
surveyed have roofs. However, some are in poor condition. In the schools built in adobe, mud and grass, the
roof is the most important part, but it is often in a precarious condition. A roof helps to create a conducive
environment for educational activity which requires peace and protection against environmental intrusions
such as rain. This means, that there will be frequent interruption of classes in schools with no roof or with
a badly damaged one. The outdoor schools depend on trees in some cases while others are exposed to the
environment. 86% of schools have a roof and 13.69% did not have one.

Chart 7. Type of construction

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Masonry 83 40 78 92 59 63
Adobo 2 36 21 5 3 19
Mixed 18 23 6 0 0 13
st icks  and  mud 0 4 0 3 38 5

The type of construction in Angola varies from province to province, and also from municipality to municipality.
There is a definite predominance of masonry schools. There are 69% of masonry schools in all provinces,
followed by adobe with 14.3%. Mixed construction schools are predominant in Luanda, Bié and Huila
(10%), and those made of mud and grass are largely predominant in Cunene, a total of 38% of all schools

14| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

built. It should be pointed out that in this area we must provide a different style of school or classroom (for
example, prefabricated) to meet the difficult teaching conditions that some municipalities face. Outdoor
classrooms were not counted, but they are a reality in all areas visited in the country.

4.3 WATER SUPPLY

Water in schools contributes greatly to the establishment of a favourable environment during school time
and for extracurricular activities and in creating a culture of respect for the environment. Water is also linked
to degrees of learning, health and hygiene, as well as retention levels in school and the socio-economic and
cultural development of the child.

Chart 8. Does the school have water?

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 61.17% 28.43% 44% 86% 7% 45%
No 38.83% 71.57% 62% 14% 93% 55%

According to data collected, the scenario differs considerably between the provinces and municipalities and
this is linked to the survey areas chosen by the Provincial Directorates of Education (DPE). We found that in
the Namibe province, the DPE favoured the urban structure rather than peri-urban or rural areas which thus
gave a very inflated value for access to water, as urban structures benefit from their connections to various
institutions’ networks. In the provinces where the diversity of the survey was higher and also included peri-
urban areas, it was found that access to water in schools was poor and in need of repair. With the exception
of the provincial capitals, the remaining municipalities show worrying results in terms of alternatives for
access to water. In fact, the scenario reflects the problem of a deterioration of the public system of water
distribution in peri-urban areas and the use of other sources, such as public fountains, reservoirs and wells
is exploited by the schools management, but the cost is often high.

Inside the municipalities and rural areas in general, access is even more difficult because the water is usually
collected in wells or distant rivers, and therefore the priority is to have water at home. Schools needs
attention. Of the schools surveyed, an average of 45% have water and 55% do not have water. In Cunene,
only 7% of schools have water, which is going to be a huge challenge; in Luanda 61.17% of the schools
have water, 86% in Namibe, 45% in Huila, 44% in Huambo, and 28.43% in Bié.

This analysis tried to look at the following factors: supply variables, the level of sustainability and how to
turn difficulties into opportunities for better service to children in schools, the connection to the supply
network for water tankers, maintenance of hand pumps and protected and open wells and finally the as well
as the fountains found in some municipalities.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |15
 Chart 9. Is the school connected to the water supply network?

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 39.81% 20.39% 15% 68% 7% 31.11%
No 60.19% 79.61% 85% 32% 93% 68.89%

When it comes to water network connection, Namibe and Luanda have the highest number of schools
connected. This is due to the fact that surveys in these provinces have focused more on the town areas.
Luanda has a 38.81% index, whereas Namibe’s is 68%, followed by 31% in Huila. There is a total of
30.16% schools connected to the network and a total of 69.84% not connected to the network.

It was found that the operation is very low and only 23.12% of all connected networks are operational. These
data suggest that sustainability and the provision of an adequate service to schools need to be improved,
considering that overall 76.88% were not operating. The operation of the network is very inefficient, except
for the provinces of Namibe, Luanda and Huila. The level of unsustainability varies between 37% in Namibe,
73% in Huila, 75.76% in Luanda, 87% in Huambo and Bié and 100% in Cunene. It must be pointed out that
Cunene is making a great effort to connect schools to the Xangongo network.

16| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

Chart 10. Does the connection to the network work?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 24.24% 12.62% 12.26% 62.65% 0.00% 26.97%
No 75.76% 87.38% 87.74% 37.35% 100% 73.03%

14.65% of the surveyed schools use a hand pump and 85% do not. There is variation in the percentages
in each province. Huambo uses 45.28% of pumps in schools, followed by Bié with 17.48%; the remaining
ones range from 1% in Luanda, 4.12% in Huila and 9% in Cunene.

Chart 11. Does the school have a borehole with hand pump?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 1% 17.48% 45.28% 4.12% 9% 11.00%
No 99% 82.52% 54.72% 95.88% 91% 89%

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |17
 Chart 12. Does the hand pump work?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 1.00% 55.56% 30.77% 14.29% 5.00% 37.50%
No 99.00% 44.44% 69.23% 86% 95% 62.50%

The sustainability of hand pumps also proved to be a problem. Only 24% are working and 76% are not.
There is an increased operation rate in the Bié province (55.56%), followed by Huíla with 37.50% and
Huambo with 30.77%, respectively. Cunene has 9% of operational hand pumps and a 4% breakdown rate.
These levels of breakdowns in both the network and the hand pumps installed in schools hinder the daily
performance of school activities such as physical education, hygiene and maintenance of the space itself
(MED 2014). The main breakdowns are related to lack of spare parts or lack of qualified personnel and
financial resources in the schools and municipal authorities to enable operations to take place and ensure
that maintenance work is carried out on a daily basis.

Chart 13. Is the school water supplied by an open well?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 6.86% 5.83% 0.95% 4% 4.17% 0%
No 93.14% 94.17% 99.04% 96% 95.83% 100%

Open wells are still used in most provinces as an alternative source for collecting water. This source is
normally contaminated and used by many people and in some cases animals use them. About 3.65% of the
surveyed schools use this source. It should be pointed out that the use of open wells in Luanda is 6.86%,

18| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

Bié is 5.83% and Cunene is 4.17%. It should be noted that we do not mean chimpacas, as is the case of
Huila and Cunene.

Chart 14. Is the school water supplied by a tanker truck?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 45% 3.88% 8.49% 36% 12.50% 17%
No 55% 96.12% 91.51% 64% 87.50% 83%

The water supply by tanker is common practice in all the provinces, especially the provinces of Luanda,
Namibe, Huíla and Cunene. The variation in the use of tanks for water supply ranges from 4% in Bié to 45%
in Luanda. In total, 20% of surveyed schools are served by tankers. This practice is a large financial burden
for schools and they are unable to sustain this service over long periods of time, causing reductions in the
allocation of funds for sanitation areas. It is important to point out here that the average number of students
per school is very high and each thousand cubic meters of water costs an average of 1,000 Akz (10 USD),
depending a lot on the supply area and distance from the school.

Figure 4. Water system with electrical pump, Figure 5. Water system with hand pump,
Namibe Huíla

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |19
 Chart 15. Is the school water collected from a protected well?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 28.16% 11.65% 4.76% 19% 1.03% 2%
No 71.84% 88.35% 95.24% 81% 98.97 98%

It was also found that the protected well is a source used by schools in all of the provinces, varying according
to the municipalities. About 11.10% of surveyed schools use protected sources. Luanda also is a big user
of protected wells with 28.26% of schools and Namibe with 19%, followed by Bié with 11.65%. 4.76%
of schools in Huambo use this source, followed by Huíla and Cunene with 2% and 1.03%, respectively.

Chart 16. Is the school water collected from a fountain?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 5.83% 0.97% 0% 14% 3.03% 0%
No 94.17% 99.03% 100% 86% 96.97% 100%

Fountains are used by many of the municipalities visited and this system of ‘public water sharing’ is proving
to be an open competition between public and private interests. Competition among water vendors and
water supply institutions has led to vandalism and even occupation by people at the properties, causing both
damage and destruction. Illegal connections to the supply lines are another problem. They have decreased
the flow of water to institutions, depriving those very communities from a secure source of supply, and
endangering children because of contamination resulting from bad connections.

20| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

Chart 17. Does the school have drinking water?

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 60.19% 20.59% 40% 62% 11.11% 35%
No 39.81% 79.41% 60% 38% 88.89% 65%

Access to safe drinking water determines the well-being of the school life of children, teachers and the
running of the institutions. This issue shows that schools do not have enough water – 38.09% of surveyed
schools have drinking water, and 61.92% do not have a source of drinking water. Luanda with 60.19% and
Namibe with 62% have the highest coverage and Cunene the lowest with 11.11% coverage. Huambo has
40% coverage, Huíla 35% and Bié 20.59%.

Chart 18. Is the drinking water treated?

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 52.00% 17.38% 25% 28% 5.10% 17%
No 48.00% 82.61% 75% 72% 94.90% 83%

In terms of water treatment, the answers were very diverse and it was found that many schools had no idea
of how to treat the water, or had no answer at all, particularly in the municipalities. Most schools in Luanda
had an idea about what water treatment is, thanks to television and radio campaigns and to the distribution
of bleach. The remaining provinces gave ambiguous answers or did not answer at all.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |21
 Chart 19. How is the water treated?

18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
bleasch 16.00% 2.00% 0% 11% 0% 3%
Boiling 0.00% 0.00% 0% 0% 0% 0%
other 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0%

When people were asked more specifically about type of water treatments available, their lack of knowledge
on the subject stood out across the board and when the questions differed to those asked in the surveys,
they never knew the answer. This is very worrying because we do not know the quality of drinking water
in schools and because it is responsible for the students’ performance and development; it is also linked to
diarrhoea and cholera outbreaks, as well as other water-borne diseases (WHO 2009).

Figure 6. Source of drinking water, Namibe Figure 7. Water fountain for the school and the
community, Cunene

22| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION

The latrine or toilet inside the school is another factor that strongly contributes to a favourable environment
for school activity because it greatly reduces the discomfort of both the teacher and the student. It also
allows the student to have contact with or strengthen principles on the basic rules of hygiene. To get the
desired results, this factor cannot be dissociated from the previously addressed issue of water.

Chart 20. Does the school have toilets?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 93% 73.79% 85.71% 96% 46.46% 61%
No 7% 26.21% 14.29% 4% 53.54% 39%

Most schools have some type of toilets serving students and teachers. We had an average coverage of
76% overall, compared with 24% without coverage. Luanda has a coverage of about 93%, Namibe 96%,
followed by Huambo with 85.71%, Bié with 73.79%, Huila with 61% and Cunene with 46.46%.

Chart 21. Do the toilets work?

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 89.90% 56.94% 73.53% 92.71% 11.46% 78.18%
No 10.10% 43.06% 26.47% 7% 88.54% 21.82%

When students and school directors were asked if the toilets were working, all provinces had a certain level
of functioning, but at the same time, there was a certain level of breakdowns, too. Despite the fact that the

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |23
 general level of functioning was 67.12%, 32.88% still did not have access to working toilets. Looking at the
figures more closely, it turns out that Cunene with 88%, Bié with 43%, Huambo with 26% and Huíla with
21% still have a long way to go before their schools have working toilets or latrines. Also Luanda, Huambo
and Huíla should work on improving access and functionality.

Chart 22. Does the school have toilets for disabled people?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 1% 3.90% 2.00% 5% 1.01% 0%
No 99% 96.10% 98.00% 95% 98.99% 100%

Access to sanitary facilities for the disabled is a major problem in all municipalities with a very low access
level of just 2%. Most schools do not provide for the access of disabled people and these people do not
know how to handle the situation. Bié with 3.90% and Namibe with 5% have the highest coverage ratio.
Luanda and Cunene have a coverage ratio of 1%, Huambo 2% and Huila 0%.

Chart 23. Are there urinals in the toilets?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Yes 21.57% 17.11% 14.00% 40% 0% 26.98%
No 78.43% 82.89% 86.00% 60% 100% 73.02%

It was found that the use of urinals in schools is still very low. This fact is related to the planning stage of
the sanitary areas. Only 19.94% of schools had urinals in their toilets for boys. Namibe leads with 40%
coverage, Huíla with 26.98%, followed by Luanda with 21:57%, Huambo with 14% and Bié with 17.11%.

24| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

4.5 HYGIENE PRACTICES

Chart 24. What kind of toilet facilities does the school have?

70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Luanda Bie Huam bo Nam ibe Cunene Huila
Dry  pit  latrines 12% 38.00% 23.00% 11% 9.00% 12%
Latrines   with  septic  tank 62% 40.00% 61.00% 30.00% 43%
Connected   to  the  grid 2% 2% 2%
Other 28.00% 6.00%
Open   defecate 11.00% 51%

When schools were asked about their hygiene habits, the answers were ambiguous. However, the latrine
with a septic tank is the most used, followed by the pit latrine. It appears that 32% of schools defecate in
the open, 18% in pit latrines, 47% in latrines with a septic tank and 2% are connected to a sewer system.
The health and hygiene education in schools should be strengthened so that the teaching and administrative
staff are able to handle issues in a timely manner. This need was felt when we found schools with full tanks
and stools and no action was taken.

Figura 8. Instalações sanitárias limpas Figura 9. Instalações sanitárias fechadas

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |25
 Chart 25. Are there defecation sites in the school?

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
Toilet 96.12% 38.38% 70.59% 80.00% 11.34% 52.04%
Latrine 45.07% 39.13% 55.45% 10.23% 4.08% 17.17%
Clos e  to  t he  s chool 6.06% 77.45% 35.24% 37.00% 40.63% 67.00%
Bus h 0.00% 58.51% 21.36% 30.00% 86.73% 76.34%

Despite the fact that schools said that they use toilets and latrines, it is clear through this chart that the
practice of defecation in the open is evident in all provinces. Many schools think that defecation close to
the school is not really open air defecation. In this detailed analysis, it emerged that 58.08% of schools
use WCs, 28.52% use latrines and 44.69% defecate outside. Open air defecation occurs in all provinces
because of a lack of sufficient and working toilets. Open air defecation puts children at risk, as they have to
move to areas far from school and are subject to abuse as well as animal stings or bites. Defecation close to
school is a form of protection, but it is also shameful and often causes children to retain the stools or urine
and so they suffer from constipation. This is also the reason why girls at a menstrual age miss classes due
to the lack of appropriate areas for hygiene (WHO 2009, UNICEF 2012, Bowen et al, 2007).

Chart 26. Number of students and average access to WC

1,000,000
100,000
10,000
1,000
100
10
1
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila Total  
Girls 35,501 11,658 68,475 32,616 21,729 40,779 210,758
Boys 36,173 12,833 64,757 32,071 19,214 45,259 210,307
Disabilities 401 29 148 289 126 139 1132
Total 72,075 24,520 133,380 64,976 41,069 86,177 422,197
wcs 355 265 323 240 78 101 1362
average 203 93 413 271 527 853 310

The average number of students per toilet or latrine is far too high. It should be 50 students per latrine or
toilet. Luanda has an average of 148 students per cubicle, Bié 65 students per cubicle, Huambo 301, Namibe
166, Cunene 314, and Huíla 549. This finding in all provinces may well inhibit children from accessing and

26| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 4. Analysis of results

using toilets or latrines because the sanitary conditions inside the toilets are too poor. This has a knock-
on effect, contributing to absenteeism and drop-outs, particularly for girls who are most vulnerable. It also
appears that the provinces with a very high average like Huíla and Cunene are those that have more cases of
open air defecation in their schools, thus showing that there is a major deficiency in the access to sanitation
at schools.

Chart 27. Number of teachers and average access to WC

100,000

10,000

1,000

100

10

1
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila TOTAL
Female   teachers 1,114 2,076 1989 1,575 764 1,962 9,480
Male  teachers 885 1,159 807 1,471 335 680 5337
Total 1,999 3,235 2,796 3,046 1,099 2,642 14,817
Ttotal  t oilets 133 111 120 151 53 56 624
average 15.0 29.1 23.3 20.2 20.7 47.2 23.7

When the numbers of teachers and toilets or latrines are calculated, the result is that teachers have a better
access to and use of latrines and toilets. The overall average for teachers is 23, except for Huila with 47.
This is due to the fact that in most schools the toilets or latrines for teachers are separated by gender and
for the students they are often the same for both boys and girls.

Chart 28. Hygiene in schools

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Luanda Bie Huambo Namibe Cunene Huila
school  has  handwashing     points   61.17% 16.67% 24.53% 51.00% 9.09% 25.51%
Is  s oap  available  at  s chool 52.94% 3.00% 7.55% 49.00% 7.14% 17.00%
Is  t here  hygiene  Club  at  s chool 20.39% 21.78% 44.66% 16.00% 27.08% 8.16%

All provinces do actually provide places for hand washing, but the percentage is very low compared to the

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |27
 number of students. By the same token, many schools had hand washing points, but they were not working.
In Luanda, 61% of schools have a place for hand washing; Namibe has 51%, Huíla 25.51%, Huambo
24.53%, Bié 16% and Cunene 9%.

When asked about the availability of soap for hand washing, there was a sharp drop in hand washing points.
Luanda has soap available in 53% of the schools, Namibe 49%, Huíla 17%, Huambo and Cunene 7% and
Bié 3%.

It appears that schools seek to be active by creating hygiene clubs in order to promote good practices.
Huambo has about 44.66% of schools with a hygiene club, while Luanda has 20%, Bié 22%, Cunene 27%,
Namibe 16% and Huíla 8%.

During our visit, the schools that had hygiene clubs were asked about attendance at meetings and the
activities being carried out, but we did not get a concrete answer or an activity plan for the club. Schools
also said that there was soap available for hand washing, a fact that was not verified in the WCs.

4.6 BUDGET
The budget for primary schools is a serious problem. These are not budgeted and schools simply lack the
means to support current maintenance costs like purchasing cleaning supplies and water for school tanks, as
well as for paying the cleaning staff. The budgets for second cycle schools that have committed funds and
are budgeted find that there is not enough money to cover even half of the year in terms of the above costs.
Also because primary schools are in a position to bring about changes, it means that if they are not provided
with the necessary means, this force is or will certainly be lost. The lack of a clear budget for primary
schools creates a gap in education that becomes further exacerbated by the lack of qualified teaching and
administrative staff. For a primary school to be able to benefit from this budget, it has to apply to the School
Education Project and follow the various negotiation protocols. Many schools do not have qualified staff to
take care of these mechanisms and so many of them do not know how to access these resources. We must
strengthen the training of school directors, as well as the provincial and municipal directorates so that they
are able to take care of application and negotiation processes. On the other hand, primary education should
be budgeted because it is the most important phase in the career of a human being.

4.7 SCHOOL’S COMMITMENT

All schools surveyed are willing to include and revitalize the sanitary and environmental education in their
curricula, but support should be given to the schools interested so that they can take up proper, structured
and sustainable implementation. There must be clear identification of areas for both students and teachers
so that funding can be properly targeted. It was also clear that school boards were willing to embrace
change.

28| WASH in Schools - Angola

© UNICEF/MLWB2012-01620/Nesbitt
Chapter 4. Analysis of results

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |29
© UNICEF/MLWB2012-01595/Nesbitt
5. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

The multidimensional aspects that affect the Angolan children in their access to water such as hygiene and
sanitation at school have a direct influence on their approach and willingness to get an education. These
facts are exacerbated when the system is at its embryonic phase of change that will be the catalyst for
an improvement in both school and curriculum. The development of the basic documentation for a Child
Friendly School and its design and composition has been a priority in the new formulation of the school
and the Ministry of Education. The document produced by the Ministry of Education on educational reform
shows these needs (MED 2014).

The concept of Child Friendly Schools promotes the principles of 2013 and the MED has agreed to focus
first on the following three key aspects5: 1) Access to education for all children 2) Quality of teaching and
learning 3) Health and hygiene. It is known that the improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene conditions
in schools provides a better understanding of current education issues and challenges, and offers an enabling
learning environment in close relationship with attendance and retention (Bowen et al, 2007).

The diagnosis shows that every school visited in the municipalities of each province somehow lacked a
hygienic and sanitary environment that is conducive for carrying out its tasks. Given the overall figures,
it appears that each province has a large number of students for the number of existing classrooms. The
average class size varies from 43 students per class in Cunene to 131 students per class in Huila, with 77
in Luanda and 76 in Huambo, an average of 68.38 students per class. These figures clearly underline the
government’s efforts to try and build more classrooms, however what is needed first and foremost is to start
building in the neediest places through a more refined planning and financing process.

These conditions are reflected in significant aspects of school life like water hygiene and sanitation. While all
schools present some form of school sanitation, there isn’t a very clear idea of the impact that sanitation can
have on school life. Neither the school administration nor the students considered these factors as inhibitors
because they believe that alternative solutions can also be moulded to fit their hygiene habits. This idea
became evident because few students actually knew what kind of toilet facilities their school had to offer.
When asked what defecation sites were available, we got a series of answers where the prevalence of open
air defecation was very evident. The average number of students using a WC is 58%, the use of latrine
28.52%: close to school 43.90% and 45.49% was in the bush. The average open air defecation is actually
44.70% when the defecation values close to school and defecation in the bush are combined.

When the number of toilets or latrines is related to the average number of students, it turns out that we
have between 93 students per cubicle in Bié with a smaller number of toilets to 203 students per cubicle
in Luanda (with more toilets) and 853 students per cubicle in Huila. We have an overall average of 310
students per cubicle, which becomes an inhibiting factor for a student to have access to the toilet or latrine.
When analysing the hygiene conditions of toilets and latrines, it can be seen that schools lack a hygiene
policy, a person responsible for cleaning, cleaning materials and often students are forced to do the cleaning
themselves, thus making it a challenge to have access to toilets or latrines because of strong smells and
poor conditions of use. It is also a fact that many toilets have turned into warehouses. If we look at the
percentage of 64% of separate toilets (boys and girls) and relate that to the number of students per cubicle
(1/50 ratio), we see a huge disparity.

The shortage of water also makes access to toilets an obstacle that affects school retention. When analysing
access to water in schools, it is evident that there is a supply source, i.e. the water network, an open or
protected well, a fountain or tankers. When asked about the operation of the sources, it appears that the

5
Stated by the MED as the main issues (2013)

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |31
 network connection has a very low degree of sustainability. About 70% of schools are not connected to
the water network at all and about 78% of those that are connected, are not operating. The use of hand
pumps is still very widespread and has been the easiest way of access to water in rural and peri-urban
areas. Contrary to the network connection, there is a higher sustainability index for the level of hand pump
operation when they are installed in schools – about 24% – and not in the community. The use of the open
well is still part of the daily life for many schools in various areas of the country, with the highest incidence
occurring in rural and peri-urban areas with 3.64% usage. Wells also serve many schools in all provinces
and this is a water supply source that can be found very frequently in the central and southern provinces
and Luanda. The supply by tankers is the third most used source and the most expensive one; about 20%
of schools resort to this source. This supply source creates huge imbalances in school budgets and is very
disturbing because its source is not clear. For primary schools where funds are not directly allocated, they
are unable to make running expenses, which total around Akz 40,000 (400 USD) per month, depending on
the distance.

As far as drinking water is concerned, only 35% of schools have drinking water available and 62% are not
allocated to any source at all. As for treatment, 24% of schools said they treated their drinking water and
76% did not treat the water in any way and therefore had huge health problems with students according
to the directors. When asked about the type of treatment for the water, 5.33% treat it with bleach but this
proved to be erratic due to the costs involved.

Most schools did not have conditions to accommodate students with disabilities or mechanisms to support
them. Access to schools is poor and access to toilets or latrines is inexistent, which does not allow for any
continuity. It was also found that schools did not have a say whatsoever in the planning of their space,
which meant that they received products that they could not say NO to.

32| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 5. Discussion of results

5.1 ANALYSIS OF BOTTLENECK AREAS

The tool used for analysis of the four key areas (Enabling Environment, Supply, Demand, and Quality) is the
Tanahashi extended Model for the analysis of obstacles, adopted by UNICEF for the water, sanitation and
hygiene programme in schools.

The analysis of obstacles researches and assesses the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in schools by
focusing on the availability of services and on the factors influencing children’s access to school services in
the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (e.g. washing hands, water supply or adequate separate sanitary
facilities for boys and girls). The aim of this model is to overcome obstacles and barriers and so offer an
enabling environment that provides for supply, demand and quality components. The following table shows
the factors analysis for the chools assessed, with the respective indicators. The bottleneck areas will be
shown in the charts with red arrows and these will be areas to invest in.

Category Determinants Indicators Analysis

Ministry of Education includes water, hygiene and

Legal and policy
sanitation in schools and a monitoring system in the 25%
framework
Enabling CFS framework
Environment
Budget available for primary schools to meet the
Budget / expenses 6%
basic water and sanitation needs

% of schools with access to working toilets and

Sanitary coverage 43%
latrines

Water coverage % of schools with access to water 23%

Supply
Adequate geographical
% of schools with ratio of sanitary coverage (1:50) 0%
coverage

% of teachers trained in hygiene promotion,

Human Resources 1%
operation and maintenance

% of schools with budget for operation and

Financial barriers 6%
maintenance

Demand Application % of schools with clean toilets 25%

Sociocultural barriers % of schools with separate toilets for boys and girls 32%

Hygiene practices % of schools with daily hygiene practices 31%

Quality
Quality of water and % of schools with a working system of
6%
sanitation services maintenance of water and sanitation facilities.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |33
 5.2 ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
As far as the Legal and Policy Framework is concerned, the Ministry of Education in Angola has started
to consider the legal and policy importance in the school context of the inclusion of water, sanitation and
hygiene programmes in schools. In this scenario, the first version of the School Construction Standards
started to be developed for the Child Friendly Schools and water, sanitation and hygiene is one of the
components of both documents. Nevertheless, this is a long process before a consolidated National Law
pertaining to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools is completed.

Chart 29. Enabling Environment Considering the budget allocation for water,
sanitation and hygiene in schools both for meeting
30% needs and for resources, we can say that the
25% government does not make an equitable budget
25% allocation that benefits all kinds of education levels
and in particular primary education is not included.
20%
The study carried out by the Ministry of Education
15% in collaboration with UNICEF (MED 2005) on the
availability of Essential Goods and learning sites
10%
6% across the country revealed that 53% of existing
primary schools don’t have toilets. This number
5%
decreases when considering specific facilities
0% for each sex, but only 7% of these schools have
Policy  Framework Budget  /  Expenses access to an adequate water supply and are totally
operational, with large disparities between urban
and rural areas. This does not differ much from the
study of 600 schools with a 43% health coverage
average.
Chart 30. Supply
However, the KAP study (COSEP, 2007) states
50% 43% that 75% of schools have a fully operational water
45% reservoir as an alternative to an adequate water
40%
35% supply, but 63.6% of them do not work and only
30% 23% 40% of these schools have a water reservoir on
25% their premises. Also in this study of 600 schools, it
20%
is apparent that 23% have fully operational water
15%
10% coverage. The rest is intermittent.
5% 0% 1%
0% When it comes to appropriate geographical
Sanitary   Water   Adequate   Human  
coverage coverage geographical   coverage, it was found that the ratio of toilets is
resources
coverage 1:93 in rural settings, which may rise to 1:500 in
peri-urban areas. These conditions, together with
the lack of facilities for washing hands with soap
and the inappropriate operation and maintenance of these sites, leave the students, especially adolescent
girls, exposed to health risks and an early drop-out rate. None of the schools surveyed had the average ratio
of 1:50.

The current inexistence / lack of water supply in health facilities, including soap means that students in schools
nationwide do not adopt safe hygiene practices. The percentage of teachers trained in hygiene promotion is

34| WASH in Schools - Angola

 Chapter 5. Discussion of results

estimated at about 25% (COSEP, 2007), which is a challenge for the development of educational activities
related to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas. The study of
600 schools shows that only 1% of teachers from schools surveyed have some training in matters related
to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools. The reduction / lack of human resources trained in hygiene
promotion causes a barrier in achieving the objectives of the water, sanitation and hygiene programme in
schools.

5.3 DEMAND

Chart 31. Demand The percentage of schools with a budget for

maintenance is estimated at 10% (COSEP, 2007),
which represents a financial and operational
35% 32%
barrier in the implementation and maintenance of
30% a sustainable school. Schools do not have cleaning
25%
25% materials or staff, and this task is often left to the
students, and most probably the girls. This financial
20%
barrier remains evident in this study of 600 schools
15% where only 6% of schools have some funds available
10% for their maintenance and operation.
6%
5%
General cleaning activities in schools are included in
0% irregular activities called “cleaning campaigns”, and
Financial   Application Socio-­cultural  
despite adopting this strategy, the issue of hygiene
barriers barriers
and cleanliness in schools remains a challenge to be
overcome throughout the country; thus, even with
these campaigns in place, it is evident that in most
schools there are no dustbins available and garbage is accumulated in the classrooms and in the outdoor
facilities of the school buildings. Waste disposal is done improperly, usually through fires on the school
premises, with little regard for environmental considerations. Due to lack of cleaning staff, this activity often
has to be carried out by children, putting their health at risk because they do not have the ability to deal
with dirty toilets.

The proportion of schools with toilets separated by gender is still low, estimated at only 20%. This causes
a strong socio-cultural barrier whenever boys and girls are forced to share the same facilities. It is estimated
that the percentage of clean / well maintained toilets is 30%; in 37.2% of cases, students are responsible
for cleaning the toilets, and in 35.3% of the cases it is the auxiliary staff’s responsibility. (COSEP, 2007).
The current study carried out in 600 schools shows that 25% have clean and adequate toilets, 32% of
schools have separate toilets but it also shows that cleaning the school and sanitary areas is often done
by children. The existence of hygiene clubs also shows some activity by the students, but without much
curriculum promotion by teachers.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |35
 5.4 QUALITY
With regard to social standards, the percentage of children in schools who wash their hands can be inferred
from the IBEP 2009 data which shows that 30% of the total population wash their hands in key moments.
In this study we found 31% in 600 schools. Considering the water, sanitation and hygiene issues in schools,
this percentage may be even less than 30%, as in this study we only have a 25% ratio of clean toilets in
600 schools, 23% of schools with water available all the time and 22% of schools with soap available for
hand washing.

Chart 32. Quality

35% 31%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10% 6%
5%
0%
Hygiene  practices Quality  of  water  and  
sanitation  s ervices

The quality of services offered in operation and maintenance is closely related to the funds available in
each institution or the ability of human resources to work within the limits of the funds available from state
mechanisms. Therefore, most schools do not have qualified human resources or funds and more training
should be offered to technicians, so that primary schools are able to work within the funds that are available.

36| WASH in Schools - Angola

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-1758/Pirozzi
Chapter 5. Discussion of results

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |37
© UNICEF/ANGA2014-0494/Bruno Caratão
6. CONCLUSÃO

The excessive number of students in primary schools and in the first cycle show that better planning should
be taken into account, and a better database should be created so that verification sources are available
for basic areas, such as water, hygiene and sanitation. All key factors show that the development of any
strategy must define what kind of school and what kind of design is wanted, according to the guidelines
of the Child Friendly Schools and then define the mechanisms to make it sustainable, accommodating local
input to meet local needs (MED 2014).

Budgeting that only reflects policy implementation is not sustainable at a provincial, municipal or communal
level, as there are enormous problems in primary schools due to a lack of funds to sustain any extra school
activity, maintenance and services. This immediately determines the failure of any programme or even any
policy.

The ineffectiveness of existing mechanisms in schools due to lack of funds and planning causes the collapse
of already weak structures which are often vandalized by communities, or damaged by improper use.
These factors are multiplied by the number of students who have never had access to toilets or latrines
and don’t know how to use them, due to lack of information and sanitary or environmental education.
The multidimensionality is based on the lack of adequate school infrastructure and appropriate teaching
materials. This leads to overcrowded classrooms and inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, as
well as failure to deliver efficient teaching, and consequently learning (Ministry of Education, 2012).

These factors are exacerbated by the fact that teachers (27% at the primary school level) are often not
qualified, so the quality of service offered is reduced and not focused enough on the children’s learning
needs. Similarly, because these issues are not specifically provided for in the school curriculum, teachers are
not equipped with sufficient knowledge to promote them.

The disparities encountered are even more pronounced when we look at the dropout and repetition rates
that are around 17% and 29% respectively, and the completion rates are only 47% for primary education
(Ministry of Education 2010). However in 2013, data from the Ministry of Education indicates improvements
referring a completion rate at primary school level of 80%, a 13% repetition rate and a reduction of school
drop-outs up to 7% (Ministry of Education 2013).

Analysing the water variable based on the alternatives that are presented to schools that do not have water
within their premises, it can be seen that, globally, they require proper planning at the construction phase in
order to include access. In some cases, schools were built with no alternative for access to water, be that
a connection to the network, fountain / well, spring or rainwater collection.

The situation worsens when analysed according to other alternatives in schools located outside the
municipalities, which have no alternative to access water. The known variables are unsustainable due to
competition with the community for water and 61.92% of schools do not have a source of drinking water
and only 24% have water for hygiene purposes.

Also, because this component is closely linked to sanitation, it shows the need for urgent action. With an
average of 213 students per cubicle and an open air defecation index of 44.69%, there is evidence that
something is not working when it comes to providing a healthy environment to schools. It is therefore
necessary to develop a plan that defines realistic objectives, allows for the efficient allocation of funds
and the development of suitable evidence based policies to guide the operation and management of the
country’s schools, thus making it possible to progressively achieve the dream of access to water, hygiene
and sanitation in schools.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |39
© UNICEF/NYHQ2015-1847/Gilberts
7. RECOMMENDATIONS

It is important to promote a broad discussion in the education sector to define the guiding

1 documents that should be subject to regular monitoring processes under the Education
Management Information System (EMIS). To this end, it is necessary to develop a methodology
to formalize tools for continued / regular collection of information.

The selection of the variables analysed (water, sanitation and hygiene) must provide for

2 monitoring indicators of educational policies; for example, in the framework of educational

reform, it is important to identify the type of target research variables for monitoring the degree
of implementation.

We also suggest that the EMIS is decentralized to a municipal level and the school directors

3
must be responsible for regular delivery of information relating to their schools. The municipal
delegates will have the task of verifying and consolidating data in order to ensure the desired
quality. Therefore, there could be a simple and quick information management system, making
it an accessible and safe secondary source for case studies at national level.

Diagnosis of this nature should occur at the end of each school year, since it is an opportunity to:
(1) make use of the teaching staff to collect real information for planning water and sanitation;

4 (2) collect very important data to supplement the information on the educational sector, such
as educational achievement, school dropout and completion rates at a certain level / class, as
schooling is not just the act of filling out the registration form; (3) look at relevant aspects of
school life that need attention and improvement.

5
Above all, there must be a multi-sectoral debate on water, sanitation and hygiene in schools
initiated by the Ministry of Education, and in particular the National Directorate of General
Education.

6
The Ministry of Education should develop a national plan in partnership with stakeholders for
the development of a national survey on water, hygiene and sanitation in schools and its impact
on school life and children.

Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |41
© UNICEF/NYHQ2010-1994/Asselin
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Diagnosis of water and sanitation conditions of 600 schools in 6 provinces of Angola |43
UNICEF Angola
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